Majority of French consider rail strikes unjustified, says latest poll

A majority of the French consider the ongoing strikes by rail workers in the country as unjustified. This is according to an Ifop poll for Le Journal du Dimanche.

This file picture shows a protestor participating in a march against the government's planned reforms of the French rail operator SNCF. REUTERS / Benoit Tessier

The survey found that out of the 58 per cent of the respondents who were against the strike out of which 31 per cent termed it “completely unjustified” while 27 per cent said it was “rather unjustified.” The remaining 42 per cent opined the strike was justified.

According to this survey, 65 per cent of the respondents don’t want the government to back down in the standoff and “go all the way.”

The online survey was conducted on May 16 and 17 with a representative sample of 1,001 people selected according to the quota method.

French rail workers have been on rolling strikes since early April against President Emmanuel Macron’s overhaul aimed at making the country’s rail operator SNCF more competitive.

The strikes are set to continue two days out of every five until June 28.

Other opinion polls have also suggested a majority of French voters back the reforms.

The lower house of parliament has already given the reforms the green light, and the Senate is to vote on them this month.